Louis Van Gaal’s position came under fresh threat on Sunday as Manchester United director David Gill revealed the board’s “disappointment” with the club’s results and performances this season.

Former United chief executive Gill claimed Van Gaal had overseen a “season of underachievement” at Old Trafford.

The manager admitted that supporters were right to boo the team off the pitch on Saturday afternoon in the wake of a dismal 1-0 home defeat to Southampton.

The defeat for United leaves Van Gaal’s team fifth in the Premier League on 37 points, 10 adrift of the top, and comes after they were knocked out of the Champions League last month.

Speaking to the BBC Sportsweek programme on Sunday morning, Gill said: “We all hoped the results would be better. Everyone is disappointed. Clearly the results have not been good enough.

“Undoubtedly this has been a season of underachievement. Everyone would agree with that given the investment made.”

Gill explained he is a non-executive director at Old Trafford and is not privy to discussions about Van Gaal’s position, as that process is overseen by executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and the Glazer family, who own United.

But the lifelong United supporter admitted the team are not much fun to watch under the Dutch manager.

Decision makers: The Glazers will decide whether to axe Van Gaal

“I’m not going to sit here and say it is that attractive,” added Gill. “What we did in the past was great. You have to have the players to do that, Ryan Giggs, [David] Beckham and Scholes.

“I’m sure that we want attractive football and I’m sure that will be the key part going forward. We don’t want booing. We want cheering.”

Gill failed at any point in the interview to give his backing to Van Gaal, who has 18 months remaining on the three-year contract he signed in the summer of 2014.

“We have to stay calm and make sure we act with the club in mind and in terms of its proposals and targets,” Gill said. “The wide point is for Ed and the owners to decide which way it is going.

“Everyone is working extremely hard to turn it around. It is not easy. It looks like it is from the outside but it is not easy.”